Sunday, September 25

Two new kits, small in size but big on detail from Dragon Models due for October....

Two new light beauties from Dragon are feature packed and pretty dinky looking. The Japanese IJA Type 4 Light Tank “Ke-Nu” with the most beautiful artwork and the hard working German Sd.Kfz.252 leichte Gepanzerte Munitionskraftwagen mit Sd.Ah.32/1 Trailer (phew!) are under the microscope in our preview, with both due to be released in October.

The Type 4 Ke-Nu was a light tank of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. It was a conversion of existing Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks, re-fitted with the larger turret of the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank.

At the expense of an additional ton in weight in armour, the weight reduced the top speed of the tank to 40 km/h, but did nothing to alleviate the lack of suitable armour protection for the hull. Maximum armour protection for the tank (25 mm) was provided by the Type 97 turret, and it was defeated by the 37 mm, 75 mm and 2-pounders mounted on Allied tanks.

Arriving on the battlefield in 1944, this tank was too late to make any impact on Japanese combat operations, and most of the Type 4 Ke-Nu were retained in the Japanese home islands against the projected American invasion. Some were assigned to units in Korea and Manchukuo, and saw brief combat against Soviet forces in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria. A surviving Type 4 Ke-Nu captured in Manchukuo is on display in Moscow at the Kubinka Tank Museum.

The Sd.Kfz. 252 leichte Gepanzerte Munitionskraftwagen (light half-track ammunition carrier) was a light armoured ammunition carrier used by Nazi Germany during World War II as early as the Battle of France in June 1940.

Based on the Sd.Kfz. 250 half-tracks and used the same chassis. Initially built by the Demag and Wegmann firms from June through to December 1940, production shifted to Deutsche Werke from January to September 1941. 413 vehicles were manufactured, all of which were issued as ammunition resupply vehicles to Sturmartillerie batteries and saw operation on both European fronts.

During the Battle of France, Sd. Kfz 252s were used by Sturmartillerie Batteries 640 and 659. Due to production delays with the new Sd. Kfz. 252, Sturmartillerie Batteries 660 and 665 went into battle using “turretless” Panzerkampfwagen I munitions carriers. On the Eastern front, units using the Sd. Kfz. 252 included the Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 184, 190, 191, and 210. The Sd. Kfz.252 was eventually replaced by the Sd. Kfz.250/6.